


a road to love

by sebastian2017



Category: Daredevil (TV)
Genre: Ableism, Awkward Silences, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Matt Murdock Needs a Hug, Misunderstandings, Post Season 2, Protective Frank Castle
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-09
Updated: 2020-05-09
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:22:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,321
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24092038
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sebastian2017/pseuds/sebastian2017
Summary: Matt has Foggy and Karen over for the world's most awkward dinner with Frank. It doesn't exactly go as expected, but it doesn't crash and burn either, which Matt will consider a win.
Relationships: Frank Castle/Matt Murdock
Comments: 4
Kudos: 150
Collections: MCU RarePairs Bingo 2019





	a road to love

**Author's Note:**

> fill for square 'Disabilities' in the MCU Rarepairs Bingo 
> 
> started out as exploring Matt + Matt's friends relationships to his blindness and how he presents it to the world versus how it really is, but mostly became a sad little thing about Matt rebuilding broken relationships
> 
> cw: ableism

Matt doesn't remember very much of life from before the accident. There's a few things here and there that stick out to him. Things like the color red, so vibrant on his dad's boxing uniform and their hair, or the impressive architecture of the church his father took him to as a child. Mostly though, Matt doesn't remember much of life before losing his sight. The doctors who'd first treated him had said his age was a good thing, that it would make it easier to adjust to the rest of the world. 

And for most of his life, it had been true. Matt doesn't even miss his eyesight. Sure, sometimes he resents that the gifts he'd gained means he can never let himself relax, lest he have to hear the cries of his city in need with no one there to help them. Mostly, though, he's fine with it. This is just the life he knows. No need to mourn anything. 

Unfortunately, the rest of the world rarely gets that message. Strangers on the street being condescending when they spot him or new clients doubting his abilities he's used to. Those barely even affect him anymore. The worst is that even people he's known for years, people who have seen time and time again how competent he is, still fall in the trap of assuming his abilities or treating him like a child. It always happens. No matter how close the friendship or how much of his personal life they know, everyone Matt's spent enough time with has managed to screw up about the blind thing eventually. 

Everyone, that is, until Frank Castle came along. 

Frank Castle, who didn't give a damn about anything and certainly didn't give a damn about his allies, other than to know whether they could do something or not. Frank, Matt had found out later, who had known Daredevil was blind from practically their first battle, but had never treated him any different for it. He hadn't even pulled a single one of his punches, which Matt could definitely attest to with his later injuries. And sure, maybe 'my future boyfriend didn't hold back on beating me up the first time we met' doesn't sound very romantic to most people, but to Matt, knowing there was still someone in the world who would treat him like a normal human being is just about the most romantic thing possible. 

It takes some getting used to for everyone else in Matt's life. Well... Lots of things about Frank take some getting used to. Matt can understand why his friends are dubious of him. Hell, if Matt had told himself from a year ago that he was going to end up dating a violent vigilante with a murdering streak, he wouldn't have believed himself either. But he's long since learned to step questioning the situations God places him in. None of them had made sense in a long time. He just tries to make the best of them, no matter how painfully awkward they can be sometimes. 

Just like right now, at the dinner he's currently hosting in his apartment. He figured if he was trying to get his life together and do normal things like have a boyfriend, he should try to get his friends involved. Ex friends maybe? Things were still strange on that front. Even inviting everyone he'd ever even been very close to, there were only three people invited to his little dinner. Including Frank. It was just the two of them, Foggy, Karen, and a whole lot of awkward silence. 

Frank's making homemade pasta for all of them, which is one of the many perks of having Frank as a boyfriend. Matt almost considers making a comment about it, something like 'oh, doesn't Frank's cooking just smell swell?' simply to break the silence growing between them, but he's not that desperate yet. Luckily, Frank interrupts it before Matt can go ahead and say something stupid. 

"Hey, Red, grab me that jar of pesto in the fridge, will ya?" Frank calls. 

Matt excuses himself from the table, as though they'd actually been interacting with one another and not just sitting in tense silence, and goes to the fridge. He retrieves the jar from where he remembered Frank leaving it and puts it down on the counter near Frank. Frank glances at it and immediately scoffs. 

"Aww, c'mon, Red, you know that's not the guest batch. What're you thinking?" 

Now that Matt actually stops to smell it properly, he does notice that this is the sauce Frank has laying around for just themselves, with far less fancy ingredients than the guest batch Frank prepared yesterday. He's about to explain the mix-up to Frank with a good natured laugh, when Foggy tenses up at the kitchen table, angry and scared at the same time. 

"Listen, buddy, I don't know how you dragged Matt into all of this, but just because you've managed to convince him and you go around the city killing anyone you don't like, that doesn't mean you get to be a dick to Matt here in his own house. He's  _ blind  _ in case you've forgotten and I don't see any braille on that jar, so next time, just get your own god damn pesto sauce," Foggy snaps. 

Matt sighs. He should have probably known this wouldn't end well. He's trying to figure out how to diffuse the tension somehow, before Frank steps in to reply. So much for a peaceful dinner. Matt leans up against the counter, resigned to the fact that a normal life of friendship was clearly never meant for him. 

"Listen,  _ buddy _ ," Frank echoes, "I've seen Matt track down perps without knowing anything other than what they ate for dinner two days ago. I'm pretty damn sure he can make his way around his own fridge. If you wanna keep babying him 'cause he's blind, be my guest, but it damn well won't be going on inside our apartment."

Matt feels a twinge of appreciation in his heart, a good reminder of why he'd wound up in love with Frank in the first place, but it's quickly overshadowed by the rush of fear that goes through Foggy. No surprise there. Even the man without fear isn't so fearless when staring down the Punisher. He puts his hands up, hoping to come off as a calming gesture. "Let's not fight, please. Foggy, Frank's right that I can tell the things apart, I just wasn't paying attention because I was a bit distracted. And Frank, it's still my name on the lease, so how about you don't go around threatening to kick my friends out?" 

Frank grumbles, but goes back to finishing their dinner, while Foggy sits back down. Matt can tell they're both still glaring at each other, but they're at least being semi civil now, so he refrains from pointing it out. He leaves the correct jar by Frank and sits back down. This isn't a pleasant dining experience, but it's more or less what he'd expected when he'd invited his friends over. He knows he still has a lot of penance to do before they can go back to what they once had. 

Dinner is exactly what Matt imagined. The food is delicious, but they eat in awkward silence. At one point, Frank sarcastically offers to help Matt with his pasta, clearly still annoyed at Foggy's comment earlier, but Matt shushes him before it can turn into another argument. He's had enough of those to last a lifetime. But beyond that and the occasional obligatory comment about the food, they're quiet. Matt's still not sure whether that's better than arguing. At least then, they're actually talking to each other. The fighting might even help them get over everything quicker. That might just be the Murdock in him talking, though. 

When they've finished eating, Matt gathers up their dishes in the same silence and goes to put them down in the sink. When he's returned, Foggy's already put on his coat to head out again. Matt already knew this was coming, but he can't help a slightly disappointed sigh as he leads Foggy to the front door. 

"Thanks for coming by today. It was good to see you, Fogs," Matt says earnestly, holding the door open for him. 

Foggy hesitates before reaching forward to pat Matt's shoulder. "You too, buddy. Maybe we can try to see each other again? Somewhere else, just you, me, and Karen. I know you say he's got a good heart or whatever, but... I really don't know what you see in him, Matt." 

"I know coming here was hard for you. Thank you for giving it a chance," Matt says, instead of actually answering any of his questions. 

Foggy has enough experience in a courtroom to know deflection when he sees it, so he just bids him goodbye and leaves. Matt hopes they can work through this and go back to the type of friends they'd once been, but... nothing's really sure these days, is it? When he hears Foggy get into a taxi and he finally leaves the door frame, Karen's already nearby, ready to leave as well. 

Matt's just going to let her go, already resigned to this night being a failure, but Karen pulls him into a hug. It catches Matt off guard and he almost stands there, frozen like an idiot, but he remembers to hug her back at the last moment and he doesn't even bother to hide how desperate he is. He hugs her back tightly, grateful that for even just a moment of feeling like things are normal. 

When she pulls back, Matt can tell there's tears in her eyes. "Don't think this means I've forgiven you, okay? You've still... You've still got a lot of making up to do. You really hurt me, Matt." 

"I know." Matt laughs wetly and shakes his head. "I'm sorry, Karen. I was trying to keep you safe." 

"I know you were. I wouldn't have come here today if I didn't think you had done what you thought was best, even if it did take some strange, Murdock justification in that big head of yours. Foggy, too. He's... He misses you, he just needs time. We both do," she insists. 

"I know that, too," Matt promises. "I'll wait as long as you both need." 

"Good." Karen nods. "And Foggy... You know he just tries to stick up for you because he cares for you, right? Not because he thinks you can't look after yourself," 

"I know. It's okay. Frank's just a little protective. I'm sure you know that. He's told me about how you've helped him before. He likes you. He'd get just as snappy for you." Matt smiles and leans down to kiss her forehead. "Thanks for coming tonight, Karen." 

"Of course. You two keep safe, okay? Don't let me have to publish any pieces about the two of you getting into trouble or anything." 

She gives him one last hug and then leaves as well. Matt closes up behind them and goes to sit down on the couch. What a night. He hadn't expected it to go any better than this, but it's still emotionally exhausting. Frank's washing dishes in the kitchen, far more aggressively than a few dishes warrant, and Matt knows he must not be having an easy time with this either, even if he's far too devoted to his macho act to ever admit it. 

Matt just stays where he is, listening to the endless chaos of the city humming in his ears. It's as distracting as it ever is, only this time, he's actually grateful for the distraction. He doesn't let himself tune back in to the room he's in until the couch dips next to him. Frank sitting down again. 

"Thanks for making dinner. And playing nice," Matt says, reaching over to pat his knee. 

Frank snorts softly. "I think you've been lowering your standards for nice since I moved in. But you're right, I coulda - and shoulda - been way harsher with your friend, talking 'bout you like you can't look after yourself." 

"Foggy just shows he cares in different ways. You've always known me as Daredevil, he hasn't. You've just got to be patient with him," Matt explains. 

"Please. I know you better than you like to pretend, You weren't happy 'bout it either. You're just always too damn polite to say anything," he grumbles. 

Which... Fine, yes, Matt hadn't been happy either, but he'd defend Frank to Foggy as well if the situations were reversed. Right now, he just doesn't want all the most important people in his life arguing. the rest he can worry about later. "He's getting used to knowing I'm not just a regular blind guy, that's all. Things like that... it's how he shows he cares. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad you never treat me any differently, but I'm not going to penalize Foggy for trying to look after me either. Can we just... not talk about it, right now?" 

Frank sighs and puts an arm around Matt's shoulders to tug him closer, until Matt's leaning up against his chest. It's not the softest of cuddles, but this is already something Matt is sure most people would never believe the Punisher can do. This is something just between the two of them, just like so many of Matt's capabilities are between the two of them. Matt likes to think of that, knowing that they'll always have their own little world to retreat into when everything else is difficult to cope with. 

"You're lucky I like you for some reason. And you're lucky I like Karen and she was tellin' me almost the same thing as you about that friend of yours. Next time, though, he's getting boxed pasta for dinner." 

Matt can't help but laugh. "All right, dear." 


End file.
